Fragile, Precious Things
by hUeS -of- h a z e l
Summary: 3: Elazul is pleasantly surprised as he finds himself adjusting quite comfortably to domestic life. drabbles
1. Chapter 1

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[ She says it like it's something completely natural, like something she says to you every day. "You're really tall, El." "You have a giant, pulsing rock lodged between your manboobs, El." "I am completely head-over-heels in love with you, El."

_A Breath Held back by Eternity_

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She is everything that irritates you and nothing you expect from a human. She is small and bright, with yellow hair that is nothing like the gold of Pearl's long, smooth locks; instead her flaxen head reminds you distinctly of sunlight, seperated and woven into tiny, individual strands of light. She wears disticntly femine clothes, yet she is probably the least feminine woman you have ever come accross--she is strong and fast and laid-back, sometimes brash and sometimes hard, with a sharp tongue and a sharp mind, although she often doesn't act that intelligent. She's as annoying as hell, but at the same time she is brimming with knowledge and wisdom, and there are days when you find yourself hanging onto her every word when she speaks to you. She's oddly naive for her age. When you first met her she could barely remember her own name. This is strangely endearing to you, and you don't know why. It reminds you of Pearl, who is like your little sister, but she is nothing like your shy, sweet partner. Why are you comparing them again?

She has a seemingly endless abundance of energy, and she bounces. She doesn't walk. She doesn't run. She _bounces_. Like a ball or a rabbite or Niccolo's stomache. It was kind of strange at first, but by now, after so much time with her, you're used to her quirks. She is probably the most compassionate and kind person you have ever met in your entire life--which is saying a lot because you've been alive for almost a century and you've met your share of people in this world. She'll help anyone and everyone regardless of who or what they are if she believes they have pure intent--but as mentioned earlier, she is truly a naive individual and sometimes cannot see the bad in a person beneath the sweetness of their adorned metiphorical masks ( it's times like these that he's glad she has him and Pearl around help her out of these kind of situations before she can get in over her head ). She smiles almost all the time. She only frowns or cries when she has failed to do something, or worse, failed to save someone. There was a time when you would never, ever let her cry for you or around you, but that was before she somehow produced a teardrop crystal and revived your entire race with her pure heart and brought hope back to your people and something else entirely into your heart even before all of that. She is extremely unorganized and thinks you overreact way too much and curiously, her eyes remind you of a Jumi's--bright, green, clear. They seem to give off their very own light. They remind you of two peridots, brilliant and perfect and filled with life.

She loves you.

She just admitted it to you now, actually, as she was hugging you and you were holding her, lost in your own memories and thoughts about a girl named Alethia who annoys you to no end and makes you foolishly happy and may just save the entire world someday. Her head lies inside the curve of your neck, and your chin is resting on her hair. It takes you a moment to register what she just said to you, because her voice is just a whisper and she seems so serene, gathered against you like something fragile and precious. She says it like it's something completely natural, like something she says to you every day, like in no way is it a big deal that she has just confessed her love for you. "You're really tall, El." "You're too stiff, El." "You have a giant, pulsing rock lodged between your manboobs, El." "I am completely and utterly head-over-heels in love with you, El."

You stop and think about this. You don't move. You don't aknowledge what she's just said. You remain the same and just keep holding her, listen to her breath, feel her heartbeat as she's pressed against you. She doesn't do anything either. Then you feel something rising inside you, something burning, something great and something wonderful. Dear mana, she loves you. How long have you waited for her to say that? Ironically, you've been in love with her for a long while. Too long a while.

You start laughing. She pulls away immeadiately, glaring at you as though hoping you will suddenly burst into all-consuming flames and burn completely to the ground. You realize she probably thinks you're laughing _at _her, when in reality your laughing because you're happy and the whole situation is just weird and so like her. You're happy. She starts yelling at you. You stare at her and take in her face and eyes and nose and mouth and body as she stands infront of you, infuriated and hurt.

Tears glisten in her eyes as she stares at your chest, probably at you core. Her teeth are gritted and her lips are thin. You're smiling, but she can't see. She opens her mouth, and you know that she thinks this is a rejection, and she's about to say goodbye. But before she can say something, move away, leave, you step forward and place your crystalized hand behind her back and your other hand behind her head, pulling her forward.

"You're really irritating," you murmur, all smiles and laughs gone as you looks seriously into her bright, liquid-green eyes, alight with surprise before you press your mouth over hers. Your kiss her slowly, softly and deliciously, her lips fitting with yours perfectly in a way that fills you completely, makes you feel whole, and you know she feels rather than hears the whispered messege of _I love you_ ghosting across her skin, a breath escaping, a confession that's been held back by eternity.

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**A/N**: YAY:D

I hope you like this. I've decided to make a little archive of drabbles and mini-oneshots for when I feel a burst of romantic Elaeroine love bubbling inside me. XD

Reviews plz? I'll love you guys forever. ♥

- hazel

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	2. Oblivion

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_**Oblivion.**_

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_Let me surround you,  
my sea to your shore,  
let me be the calm you seek._

_----_

Elazul doesn't really remember exactly when it was his nightmares ceased. The sunlight this morning is bright as he and his companion pack up camp in preparation for another long day of traveling, and he pauses in his movements when the realization suddenly strikes him, his sleeping furs only partially rolled and not yet tied in his right hand as he stares boringly at a rock by his feet, trying to recall when _that_ had happened. He remains still, frozen in thought, and he doesn't know how long it is he has stood there before he finally notices Alethia is staring at him.

"Hey . . ." She says when he looks at her, "you okay?" and her voice is tinged with worry, and he suddenly feels a spark of anger at her for worrying over him just because he's _Jumi_, and damnit all if he's going to let someone ( least of all _her_ ) think he's weak.

His bright eyes narrow at her slightly as he bites out a "_I'm fine_," and with that he turns his back on her to finish packing his things. He hears her sigh, and in his mind he pictures her rolling her eyes at him. All other thoughts of nightmares and peace are forgotten as silence settles between them.

Outside, the sun continues it's climb into the sky.

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	3. Domestic Life

**_Domestic Life_**

* * *

Elazul was about to say more before he caught her expression. He paused, mouth open, before quirking a brow down at her. Alethia said nothing, and merely continued to stare oddly at him.

Finally, Elazul laughed. "What?" he asked. A slow grin broke out on her face then, mischievous and…hungry.

Elazul understood. "I see…" he murmured. He stepped forward to take hold of her waist, drawing her slim body against his own. She relented readily with a giggle and reached up to wind her arms around his neck.

They kissed, softly at first, and just as she began to nip playfully at his bottom lip they heard a peculiar sound from behind them: gagging.

The couple broke apart and turned. Bud was looking at them with unabashed disgust, arms occupied by a full basket of vegetables. Lisa stood beside him, appearing much the opposite with sparkly eyes and pink cheeks. She tittered at them girlishly.

Bud, however, shook his shaggy head, eying the lovers before him with a comical sort of disdain. "_Gross!_" he spat. "Get a room!"

Lisa punched him hard in the shoulder, which nearly caused the basket he held to spill violently out of his arms; as the twins began to bicker, and Alethia blew out a good-natured sigh against his neck, Elazul couldn't help but laugh.


End file.
